Omicron Surge: CBSE Board 10, 12 Students In Uncertainty Again
New Delhi, Jan 6: Class 10 students of government school in Rohini, Delhi, are now again worried about when their pre-boards will take place, and how, whether online or offline!
Students are enjoying online classes but some of their class-mates face network issues if the exams were to take place virtually.
From the current academic year, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had moved to a two-term board examination system and the final mark-sheet at the end of the academic year will combine with both Term 1 and Term 2 Board results.
A majority of schools in Delhi and otherwise were to conduct pre-board exams in January much before the Term 2 board exams. Some were even planning multiple pre-board exams to better prepare the students. However, with the rise of COVID-19 cases amid the new Omicron variant, their plan could be in limbo.
Schools in Delhi had opened for all classes in November, for the first time since March 2020, only to be shut two weeks later due to air pollution. Physical classes resumed for Class 6 onwards on 18 December. But again, on 28 December, all the educational institutions had to shut down after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s announcement in the City for high COVID-19 positivity rate.
Parents, teachers and principals worry that the fate of young learners now hangs in the balance, and especially those who are taking board examinations this year or next year will be severely affected. There is a lack of clarity on whether students should prepare to take their examinations online or offline.
Aprajita Gautam, President, Delhi Parents’ Association, says, “Once we see the increase in cases, the government should be more decisive. For instance, if they have decided that schools are going to be shut, why not announce that the semester will be online, rather than confusing the children?”
Jyoti Arora, Principal, Mount Abu Public School tells that the notification to shut schools was the correct decision as there had been a daily dropdown in attendance since the cases had started increasing.
While safety is a priority, she says a number of concerns came to the fore when exams are conducted online. First, she says that internet connection is a problem for many students. Second, she adds, “Fairness is a concern, too. It is a human tendency to opt for unfair means when there is an opportunity to do so.”
